Beer, Beer, & Better Beer

Can't-miss 'unicorn' beers at HopCat Chicago's Wood & Wild

Doug Wise, HopCat Chicago Beer Program Manager | October 18, 2017

Wood & Wild, Barrel-Aged

The Wood & Wild Festival is so close we can almost taste it. The event - happening Sunday, Oct. 22 at all HopCats - puts a spotlight on barrel-aged and sour beers. The lists can be daunting, so we're checking with our beer experts at each location about the can't-miss beers that will be tapped throughout the day. Below are some suggestions from Doug Wise, beer program manager at HopCat Chicago, whose full tap list is available here.

Lagunitas Rum BA Brown Shugga - Brown Shugga on its own is maybe the smoothest 9.7% beer you can find, and I'm a sucker for brown sugar. Adding the the sweet booziness of a rum barrel makes this a must-try! [More info via Untappd]

Moody Tongue Bourbon Barrel-Aged Baltic Porter - Moody Tongue is one of the best breweries in Chicago, and this limited brew has me daydreaming. Baltic porters are not so common, and feature malt complexity with the smoothness of lager yeast. Everything I have read so far about this beer suggests a harmony of coffee, roasted malt, vanilla, and oak. [More info via Untappd]

Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout 2015 - Hailing from Grand Rapids, Founders is one of our oldest partners. I've come to be pretty familiar with KBS, a yearly limited release, during my time with HopCat, but I've never had it aged two years, and I'm excited to see how it has evolved over time. [More info via Untappd]

As we continue the countdown to our Wood & Wild Festival -- taking place Oct. 22 at every HopCat location -- we're checking in with our expert beer managers for suggestions about beers to try at each of our restaurants. Here, HopCat Ann Arbor's Marty Rivard suggests a couple of "unicorns" (beers so epic and legendary they defy comprehension) that will be featured at A2's Wood & Wild event:

I'm pretty pumped for the Saule by The Bruery. This beer is made so scarcely that it is near impossible to find and it's a blend of every Anniversary Ale they've ever made. Which is pretty dope.

Also, our 2015 Madrugada Obscura - Dark Dawn. This is a Jolly Pumpkin Oak BA Belgian-Style Imperial Wild Stout... mouth-full, eh? I'm a huge Jolly Pumpkin fan, they make really fantastic sours and I've been really into sour stouts and porters lately. I think the chocolatey, roasted maltiness of the beer adds a very nice addition to the sour and fills the mouthfeel nicely. I'm excited to see how the Belgian yeast will complement this one.

As we continue the countdown to our Wood & Wild Festival -- taking place Oct. 22 at every HopCat location -- we're checking in with our expert beer managers for suggestions about beers to try at each of our restaurants. Here, HopCat Louisville's Chase Myers suggests a few "unicorns" (beers so epic and legendary they defy comprehension) that will be featured at Louisville's W&W event:

West Sixth Snake Cake is one of my favorites that we’ll be tapping. Already being one of West Sixth's highly coveted brews, last year this one only lasted 45 minutes after we tapped it! [More info via Untappd]

Avery Nuttiest Professor is sure to be a huge hit: a big, bold, and rich bourbon barrel aged imperial stout with peanuts. Standing in at 15%, this one will be for sure a crowd favorite. [More info via Untappd]

Gueuzerie Tilquin's Oude Gueuze Tilquin à L'Ancienne is a classic gueuze that should be on the top of anyone's list who is big into traditional Belgian gueuzes. You also don't see this on tap too often. [More info via Untappd]

Sun King is a fairly new brewery to Kentucky, originally coming from Indianapolis. We will be tapping Patio Smasher from their King's Reserve lineup. Patio Smasher is an American Sour Ale that has been aged in red wine barrels with peaches. With all the other big and rich beers we will have, this one will for sure be a nice change of pace. [More info via Untappd]